The Medicinal Benefits of Propolis

PROCESSING PROPOLIS PART II

Bee Culture, 10/21/2016

In last month’s Bee Culture article we looked at the origins of propolis; how it is produced and used by honey bees; and how beekeepers can harvest and process propolis into various medicinal forms for market. This month we’ll explore the potent medicinal properties of this product from the hive that is among the most powerful antimicrobial compounds found in nature. Also included is just a small sampling of references to scientific research that backs up many of the medicinal and therapeutic claims made with regard to propolis.

Use of propolis for healing and health by humans has a long history, predated only by the discovery of honey. Propolis is one of the few natural products that has maintained popularity for a long time, although it is not considered a therapeutic agent by the conventional allopathic medical establishment.

While the use of propolis for healing and health is considered alternative, it does not require you to turn your back on modern medicine. Propolis can be used in conjunction with modern medical treatments for a synergistic effect that is better than either the modern treatment or propolis alone.
While the use of propolis for healing and health is considered alternative, it does not require you to turn your back on modern medicine. Propolis can be used in conjunction with modern medical treatments for a synergistic effect that is better than either the modern treatment or propolis alone.

Throughout their 6,000 year civilization, the Egyptians used propolis medicinally as well as for the mummification of cadavers. The ancient Greeks used propolis to speed up the healing of wounds and Aristotle recommended it for all afflictions of the skin. The Roman legionnaires reportedly carried small amounts of propolis with them into battle, not only to help speed up wound healing but for its analgesic (numbing) properties. The Incas used propolis for infections. During the Boer War, the British used it to keep wounds from becoming infected. Throughout history, propolis has played an important role in veterinary medicine since many of the human uses for propolis are applicable to animals.

Unlike some anti-microbial compounds, propolis exhibits strong antimicrobial activity against both gram positive and gram negative bacteria and fungi. (Melliou 2004, Grange 1990) This may be why propolis is reported to have been identified as one of the ingredients in the wood finish of Stradivarius violins built in the 17th and 18th century. Today the evidence suggests that the activity of propolis against microorganisms appears to be more related to the synergistic effect of flavonoids (and other compounds) than to any individual compound that may be extracted from propolis. This is probably why modern medicine does not take advantage of the benefits of propolis: it is a natural product available inexpensively to anyone with access to bees, and does not contain a single active ingredient that can be extracted, patented and sold for a lot of money.

Antibacterial

Since propolis is composed primarily of tree resins collected by honey bees, the properties and thus medicinal qualities of propolis will vary with the geographic location where honey bee colonies are located. While all propolis has been found to exhibit antibacterial properties, propolis from wet-tropical rain forest-type climates have shown the highest antibacterial activity. (Seidel, 2008) It makes sense that trees growing in hot, wet climates will have the greatest amount and variety of bacteria to fight off and, through evolution, have developed the world’s most powerful antibacterial tree resins to get the job done...